Kenai Fjords Wilderness Lodge: The Perfect Luxury Add-On to Your Alaska Cruise
When you’re planning an Alaska cruise, it’s easy to get caught up in the ports and excursions that are part of your sailing. But if you really want to make the most of your trip, I highly recommend adding on a couple of extra days in Alaska either before or after your cruise. One of the best add-ons I’ve recently experienced is a stay at the Kenai Fjords Wilderness Lodge on Fox Island, just outside of Seward.
This remote lodge is only accessible by boat and has just eight cabins, which makes it feel private and exclusive. It’s the kind of place where you can completely unplug, enjoy amazing meals, and spend your days surrounded by nature. During my stay I tried a mix of unique activities, relaxed on the beach, and soaked up the peaceful island setting. And we capped our trip with a fjord boat tour that turned out to be one of the most unforgettable experiences I’ve had in Alaska.
Getting to Kenai Fjords Wilderness Lodge
What I loved about Kenai Fjords Wilderness Lodge is how it manages to feel completely remote while still being pretty accessible from Seward. From Anchorage, it’s about a two-hour drive down the scenic Seward Highway, and most cruisers either book a shuttle transfer or ride the Alaska Railroad for a relaxed, scenic trip.
The lodge is only accessible by water, so you’ll board a Kenai Fjords Tours boat that takes you across Resurrection Bay to Fox Island. The ride itself is part of the experience, with rugged coastline and open water that instantly sets the tone for your stay. By the time you step off the boat, you already feel like you’ve arrived somewhere special.
How Long to Stay
The lodge requires a two-night minimum stay, and because there are only eight cabins, it does book up far in advance. I think two to three nights is ideal for most travelers, since that gives you enough time to try the activities, enjoy the peaceful setting, and still make it work around a cruise itinerary. Some guests choose to stay longer — up to five nights — if they really want to slow down and immerse themselves in island life.
I also heard that many guests choose this as a stop before or after continuing up to Denali. A stay here truly is an opportunity to relax and unplug. I took a nap for the first time in forever! You’ll put the deadlines and inboxes to the side and enjoy a relaxed day where the biggest question is what time you need to be at the lodge for lunch or dinner.
The Lodge Experience
Kenai Fjords Wilderness Lodge is small and intimate. Each of the eight cabins feels rustic yet comfortable, with simple furnishings that fit the setting. Rooms feature a bed (or two), a couch, vanity sink, and a bathroom with toilet and shower. There is one four-plex cabin with ocean view and lagoon view rooms, and two duplex cabins with views of both the ocean and lagoon.
My cabin looked out over the lagoon, and while I would have loved the sweeping bay view with gentle ocean sounds, those view cabins also are along the walkway, so you’ll hear people walking past your cabin on the rocks. The lagoon view rooms are probably the quietest option. I was in the four-plex cabin that was next to the lodge and found that location very convenient. Cabins farther down the beach are still in easy walking distance, but do feel a bit more detached from the main lodge.
One thing to know is that the cabins don’t have outlets, which really drives home the unplugged atmosphere. If you need to charge your phone or camera, there are outlets in the main lodge. Wi-Fi and cell signal is extremely limited, so most guests find themselves leaning into the break from screens. Water temperature in the cabins is also a bit tricky to manage, so plan on taking quick showers.
Meals are included with your stay, and the food is a highlight. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served in the main lodge, and each meal is freshly prepared with local and seasonal ingredients. Options for lunch included grilled cheese, chicken salad sandwiches, salads, and soups. And dinner options included salmon, halibut, steak, and mushrooms with amazing sides. You will certainly not feel like you’re roughing it when you sit down to eat.
Alcoholic drinks are not included with your stay, but there is a nice selection available to purchase. We enjoyed some delicious cocktails as well as sharing a bottle of wine during our stay.
The atmosphere at the lodge is relaxed and welcoming, but not overly social. With only a handful of guests staying at a time, it feels intimate without being socially forced. During my stay there was an extended family, another small group, and my own party; and while we chatted here and there, most people spent their time enjoying the lodge at their own pace. You can choose to mingle over meals or simply soak in the quiet, whether that’s reading by the fire in the main lodge, listening to the waves outside the lodge, or even by taking a nap in your cabin.
Activities at Kenai Fjords Wilderness Lodge
What really surprised me was how much there was to do right on the island, but I also never felt like I was missing out on anything. The schedule changes a bit day to day, but most guests find a mix of structured activities and downtime that lets them truly relax.
Included Activities
During my stay, there were options like guided wilderness hikes, a sound bath meditation, a paint-and-sip session, and even sea bathing followed by warming up in the sauna. Beach walks are always available, and some guests tried fishing from the shore.
The artist in residence was on vacation during my stay so we self-guided ourselves with our paintings and I’m pretty happy with how my landscape came out. I also wasn’t sure how sound bathing would work since I’ve never done it, but by the end I was almost asleep and have no clue where the time went from minute 5 to 25. :)
If you do choose to fish while on the island, make sure to buy an Alaskan fishing license beforehand as you can’t buy them on the island. One of the fellow guests caught a silver salmon while fishing on shore! The staff cooked it up for his family and he shared some of the catch with us – yum!
The Kenai Fjords Northwestern Fjord Boat Tour at the end of your stay is also included – and it was such a highlight! I wasn’t sure what to expect but was really impressed with the tour. I’ve never seen glaciers up close like we did on that tour. More on that later!
Optional Add-On
While most activities are included, sea kayaking costs extra and is booked with Sunny Cove Kayaking. It was absolutely worth it! The guides, James and Drew, led us around two sides of Fox Island and shared information about the island and wildlife. From the water, we spotted puffins, sea stars, and incredible views of the island’s shoreline. It was such a different perspective compared to walking along the beach.
Time to Unplug
Of course, not every moment has to be filled with activities. Many guests spend their afternoons curled up with a book, strolling the beach, or just soaking in the scenery. That balance of active outdoors and relaxation is what made my stay at Fox Island so memorable. As a mom of two college-age daughters who owns her own business, I’m usually plugged in all the time. Having a few hours with nothing to do but listen to the waves felt like a gift.
Kenai Fjords Northwestern Boat Tour
One of the best parts of staying at Kenai Fjords Wilderness Lodge is that the adventure doesn’t end when you check out. As part of the package, guests board the Kenai Fjords Northwestern Fjord Boat Tour, which turned out to be one of the highlights of my trip. When we checked out, we just left our packed bags by the cabin doors and headed to breakfast at 8:30. After breakfast we were taken to the dock just in time to catch the boat around 9:20 am.
The boat tour takes you deep into Kenai Fjords National Park, where you’ll see small islands dotted around the sea, amazing blue glaciers, and an incredible amount of wildlife. On our tour we spotted puffins, sea otters, Steller sea lions, and more seabirds than I could count. The biggest thrill was seeing a humpback whale surface and watching glaciers calve into the bay right in front of me — those moments really remind you just how special Alaska is.
A light breakfast (cinnamon rolls) and lunch (quinoa burrito with chips) is included with the tour, and the boat also sells drinks and snacks (including alcoholic options), which makes it easy to relax and enjoy the day. The ride itself is several hours long, so you’ll want to bring a camera, binoculars, and layers to keep warm on the deck.
I spent very little time in my seat until the end of the cruise – the first few hours you’ll be outside on the decks. We also had an amazing captain who had a clear voice and gave me such an appreciation for the area and wildlife. Who knew puffin weren’t really that cool?… :)
Why Add Kenai Fjords Wilderness Lodge to Your Alaska Cruise
An Alaska cruise is already an incredible way to see the state’s coastline, but spending a few days at Kenai Fjords Wilderness Lodge takes the experience to a whole new level. The lodge gives you the chance to slow down, unplug, and actually live in the wilderness instead of just sailing past it.
For me, the boat tour on checkout day was the closest I’ve ever been to glaciers and to so much wildlife at once. On a typical cruise ship you might see these sights from a distance, but being on a smaller tour boat makes it all feel more immersive and personal. Watching a humpback whale surface right in front of us and seeing glaciers calve into the water was something I’ll never forget.
Looking back, everything about this place just worked – the cozy setup, incredible meals, and those wildlife moments I’m still thinking about. If you’re looking to add something special to your Alaska cruise that feels both luxurious and genuinely wild, this little island is exactly what you want.
As someone who already loves nature and lives in the Pacific Northwest, I didn’t expect to be so blown away. But Alaska has a way of making even seasoned travelers awestruck by nature in the best possible way.
